What to know about Texans' newest addition Demaryius Thomas

By Matt Young

on October 30, 2018 5:23 PM

Current contract

Thomas has one more year left on his contract (five years, $70 million) with him scheduled to earn $14 million next season. However, the Texans can cut him after this season, and nothing will go against their salary cap. It is much more likely that the Texans will try to renegotiate Thomas’ contract to keep him around longer.

Current contract
Thomas has one more year left on his...photo-8905879.186769 - |ucfirst

Rough childhood

When Thomas was a child, police raided the house and his mother and grandmother were both arrested on cocaine distribution allegations. Thomas’ mother Katina Smith (left) was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while his grandmother Minnie Pearl Thomas got life as a three-time offender. Thomas grew up with his aunt and uncle.

In 2015, Barack Obama commuted the sentence of Thomas’ mother Katina Smith. She was released in November and got to see Thomas play for the first time on Jan. 17, 2016 – a first-round playoff win over the Steelers. President Obama commuted the life sentence of Thomas’ grandmother Minnie Pearl Thomas in 2016.

Drake Durkee, who was a huge fan of Thomas, died in a rafting accident in 2015. The family reached out to Thomas, who became a close friend and supporter of the family. He has spread the word of Drake and his foundation by wearing a wristband in honor of Drake and a T-shirt for Drake’s foundation. Here’s a Twitter thread about that connection.

Close to a Denver family
Drake Durkee, who was a huge fan of...photo-16421371.186769 - |ucfirst

Close friend of Jimmy Butler

Thomas is such a close friend with Tomball native and NBA star Jimmy Butler, they took a vacation to Greece together this summer. The two became friends after Butler read a story about Thomas in ESPN the Magazine. Butler reached out after that and they have been close ever since.

Close friend of Jimmy Butler
Thomas is such a close friend...photo-16421152.186769 - |ucfirst

What Broncos GM John Elway said

“We got the value that we thought was fair, and that was the most important thing. It’s never easy when you trade a guy that’s been a household name here for a long time and done a lot of great things, not only on the football field but also in the community and was a good man. Plus, it’s a good spot for Demaryius. He’s going to a good football team that’s in a pennant race where he’s going.”

What Broncos GM John Elway said
“We got the value that we...photo-16421195.186769 - |ucfirst

Jersey Number

Thomas has worn No. 88 throughout his NFL career, but he'll wear 87 with the Texans. Rookie tight end Jordan Akins has been 88 all season with the Texans and the NFL won't let players switch jersey numbers after they've played 30 percent of the season.

Thomas has worn No. 88 throughout his NFL career. That number currently belongs to rookie tight end Jordan Akins, who might be willing to give up the number to the veteran. Thomas wore No. 8 in college at Georgia Tech.

Jersey Number
Thomas has worn No. 88 throughout his NFL...photo-12132345.186769 - |ucfirst

Teammates love him

It's hard to find a teammate that has anything bad to say about Thomas. Several players took to social media to express their appreciation to Thomas after the trade was announced, including this Instagram post from fellow receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Teammates love him It's hard to find a teammate that has...photo-16421151.186769 - |ucfirst

Active in the community

Thomas spent a lot of time at Children’s Hospital Colorado and was a frequent part of Broncos’ Make-A-Wish visits and hung out at the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club. According to the Broncos, Thomas made a lot of these visits with one request – no media coverage. Last Christmas, Thomas dressed as Santa Claus at the Boys & Grils Club’s holiday party.

Tribute in Denver The Broncos already released a video tribute...photo-16421635.186769 - |ucfirst

Postseason experience

Thomas has played in 10 playoff games, including two Super Bowls. He had 13 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ loss to the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. He has 53 catches for 759 yards and six touchdowns in his 10 career playoff games.

Thomas’ most famous play came in his second season when Tim Tebow and the Broncos beat the Steelers in the first round of the playoffs. The Broncos won when Tebow hooked up with Thomas on an 80-yard touchdown in overtime. It is still the longest playoff overtime touchdown in NFL history and the shortest overtime (10 seconds) in NFL history.

Thomas entered the draft after his redshirt junior season at Georgia Tech, but he broke his foot and couldn’t participate in drills at the NFL Combine. He still was taken at No. 22 overall, making him the first receiver taken, two spots before the Cowboys took Dez Bryant. The Texans took cornerback Kareem Jackson in that draft, two spots before the Broncos took Thomas.

The Broncos have lost five of their last six games and have first-round pick Courtland Sutton emerging at receiver to replace Thomas.

Why the Broncos dealt him

The Broncos have lost five of their last six games and have first-round pick Courtland Sutton emerging at receiver to replace Thomas.

Photo: Jack Dempsey, Associated Press

Why the Broncos dealt him
The Broncos have lost five of their...photo-5745521.186769 - |ucfirst

Veteran

Thomas is 30 years old and will turn 31 on Christmas Day. That makes him the sixth-oldest player on the Texans roster. The only Texans older than Thomas are: Brandon Weeden (35), Johnathan Joseph (34), Jon Weeks (32), Shareece Wright (31) and Joe Webb III (31).

Thomas is 30 years old and will turn 31 on Christmas Day. That makes him the sixth-oldest player on the Texans roster. The only Texans older than Thomas are: Brandon Weeden (35), Johnathan Joseph (34),

Veteran
Thomas is 30 years old and will turn 31 on Christmas...photo-16418997.186769 - |ucfirst

Took a knee with several of his teammates

On the week when President Donald Trump referred to NFL players who took a knee during the National Anthem as “son of a b----,” Thomas along with 31 of his teammates took a knee during the anthem on Sept. 24, 2017. Thomas also has stayed in the tunnel during the anthem for games this season. After he stayed in the tunnel during the anthem in a preseason game, he told The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala, “I don’t think it was a right or wrong time. It’s what I was going to do. It’s what I feel passionate about. People bash me about playing football. They talk about my game and it’s what I do every day. It is what it is. I don’t pay attention to it. I don’t pay attention to social media and TV and all that stuff.”

Thomas’ 665 receptions, 9,055 yards and 60 touchdowns with the Broncos are third, second and second – respectively - among the Broncos’ all-time leaders. All those numbers would rank second on the Texans’ all-time lists behind only Andre Johnson.

Thomas has one more year left on his contract (five years, $70 million) with him scheduled to earn $14 million next season. However, the Texans can cut him after this season, and nothing will go against their salary cap. It is much more likely that the Texans will try to renegotiate Thomas’ contract to keep him around longer.